‘MMRDA will work closely with Railways to ensure IFSC not hit’

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis speaks at the inauguration for the bullet train project. (Source: Twitter/@Dev_Fadnavis/File)

The long-drawn battle between the Centre’s Bullet Train and the state’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) came to an end this week after the Devendra Fadnavis government agreed to give a portion of the land allocated for the business centre at BKC for the construction of an underground station for the high-speed train.

The Maharashtra government has agreed to allot 0.9 hectares in ‘G-Text’ block in BKC for entrance, exit and ventilation of the bullet train station.

The decision has come as a setback for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) that owns the land and is the implementing agency of the IFSC. The MMRDA has, in the past, consistently opposed construction of the station on the land it had allotted for the IFSC. Earlier this year too, it provided permission for soil testing after much hesitation.

“It is our land and even if a small portion is given it will be a constraint for our project. However, the Bullet Train is a project of national importance and we will work around it,” said U P S Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA. The authority plans to work closely with the Railways to ensure the IFSC is not negatively affected by the Bullet Train project.

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“We will have to keep a close liaison with the Railways during the planning stage. Our consultant will have to sit down with their consultant so that our plans are not adversely affected,” added Madan.